SpaceX, the private space company founded by Elon Musk, is on the verge of making history with its Starship vehicle, a massive reusable rocket that aims to carry humans and cargo to the moon, Mars and beyond. After months of preparation and testing, SpaceX is now targeting mid- to late April for Starship’s first orbital test flight, which will launch from its Starbase facility in South Texas.
What is Starship and why is it important?
Starship is a two-stage transportation system that consists of a 230-foot-tall (70 meters) booster called Super Heavy and a 165-foot-tall (50 meters) spacecraft called Starship. Both vehicles are made of stainless steel and are powered by SpaceX’s next-generation Raptor engines, which use liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellants. Starship has six Raptors, while Super Heavy has 33.
Starship is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable, meaning that both stages can land back on Earth after each mission and be flown again multiple times. This feature could drastically reduce the cost of space travel and enable more frequent and ambitious missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.
Starship also has a large payload capacity of up to 100 metric tons (220,000 lbs) to low Earth orbit, which is more than any other rocket currently in operation. Starship could carry satellites, space station modules, lunar landers, rovers, habitats and even people to various destinations in the solar system.
What are the milestones achieved so far?
SpaceX has been developing and testing Starship prototypes at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, since 2019. The company has performed several short hops and high-altitude flights with different versions of Starship, reaching up to 6 miles (10 kilometers) above the ground.
The most recent test flight occurred in May 2021, when Starship SN15 successfully launched, flew and landed back on Earth for the first time without exploding. Since then, SpaceX has been working on improving the design and performance of Starship and Super Heavy, as well as preparing for the orbital test flight.
In January 2023, SpaceX conducted a landmark fueling test with Starship SN24 and Super Heavy BN7 on the orbital launch mount at Starbase. The test demonstrated that both vehicles can be filled with propellant and pressurized without any major issues.
In April 2023, SpaceX rolled out Starship SN24 to the orbital launch pad and performed another fueling test with Super Heavy BN7 on the launch mount. The company also received navigational warnings from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the orbital test flight window from April 6 to April 12.
What are the challenges ahead?
The orbital test flight of Starship is a complex and risky endeavor that involves many unknowns and uncertainties. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has said that Starship has about a 50% chance of success on its debut orbital flight.
The mission profile for the orbital test flight is as follows:
- Super Heavy BN7 will lift off from Starbase with Starship SN24 on top.
- About two minutes after liftoff, Super Heavy will separate from Starship and perform a flip maneuver to reorient itself for landing.
- Super Heavy will attempt to land on an offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the launch site.
- Starship will continue its ascent to orbit with its six Raptors firing.
- About eight minutes after liftoff, Starship will reach orbit at an altitude of about 250 miles (400 kilometers) and a speed of about 17,000 mph (27,000 kph).
- Starship will perform a series of maneuvers to adjust its orbit and orientation for reentry.
- About 90 minutes after liftoff, Starship will reenter the atmosphere over Hawaii at a steep angle of about 60 degrees.
- Starship will use its four flaps to control its attitude and slow down during reentry.
- About six minutes before splashdown, Starship will ignite three of its Raptors for a powered landing burn.
- Starship will attempt to splash down softly in the Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Some of the major challenges that SpaceX faces during this mission include:
- Achieving a stable ignition and liftoff of Super Heavy and Starship, which involve a complex interplay of fueling, pressurization, and engine performance.
- Ensuring the separation of Super Heavy and Starship goes as planned, which requires precise timing and control.
- Executing a successful landing of Super Heavy on the offshore platform, which has never been attempted before.
- Achieving orbital insertion and maintaining stable flight during the ascent and descent phases of Starship’s journey, which require precise navigation and guidance.
- Reentering the atmosphere at a steep angle without burning up or experiencing other catastrophic failures.
- Controlling Starship’s attitude and speed during reentry and splashdown, which require precise aerodynamic design and control.
Despite these challenges, SpaceX is forging ahead with its ambitious plans to revolutionize space travel and exploration with Starship. If successful, the orbital test flight could pave the way for future missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond, and help realize Elon Musk’s vision of making humanity a multiplanetary species.
